Mail catching and delivering means.



No. 890,118. PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908.

0. BEATTY- I MAIL GATGHING AND DELIVERING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED 001214, 1907.

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O. BEATTY.

MAIL OATGHING AND DELIVERING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED 001214, 1901.

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UNTTED STES PAT OLLIE BEATTY, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES M. MCKNIGHT, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

MAIL CATCHING AND DELIVERING MEANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

latented June 9, 1908.

Application filed October 14, 1907. Serial No. 397,418.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

[ Be it known that I, OLLIE BEATTY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Mail Catching and Delivering Means, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in mail catching and delivering means, and its object is to provide a means whereby mail carried upon a railway car may be read ily delivered to points along the track and as readily transferred from fixed points along the track to the mail cars of moving trains.

The invention comprises essentially a crane mounted upon the side of a mail car and capable of being moved from a position against the side of the car, which is the inoperative position, to another position at right angles to the car, and constituting the opera tive position. The mail crane is provided with a catching arm capable of being adj usted to adapt the catching arm to engage a mail bag in either direction of travel of the car, and this catching arm is arranged to coact with the crane in such manner as to carry a mail bag to be delivered to a fixed structure along the track.

The invention likewise comprises a structure similar to the crane carried upon the train, and such structures are erected at different points along the railroad track where it is desired that mail should both be deposited from the train and collected by said train. The stationary device comprises a collecting arm similar to the arm carried by the train, and this arm is mounted upon a post or other support elastically, so that the impact of a mail sack received by the arm from a moving train is met yieldingly, and destructive shocks to the contents of the mail sack are avoided. Also, the momentum of the mail sack is sufficient to move the arm to a position where it will be locked out of the path of another mail sack on another train, until the arm is again adjusted into operative position. Coacting with the stationary catching arm is a hinged arm for the suport of a mail sack in the path of a projecting catching arm on a moving train, and when the mail sack is caught by the train, the hinged arm simply gravitates to a pendent position out of the way.

The invention will be best understood from the following detailed description,

taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speci cation, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation, with parts in section, of a mail crane upon a mail car and a stationary mail supporting and catching mechanism in coactive relation to the mechanism carried by the car. Figs.'2 and 3 are detail views. Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the catching arms, detached. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, with parts in section and other parts broken away. Fig. 6 is a vertical section, with parts in elevation, of a portion of the mechanism located along the track. Fig. 7 is a detail view of that portion of the crane carrying the catching arm.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a crane 1 consisting of an upright bar pivotally supported on the outer face of the side 2 of a car by means of suitable clips 3, and the upper end of the bar 1 is bent at right angles to form an overhanging arm 4 connected with the upright 1 by a diagonal brace 5. The lower end of the bar 1 is formed with a right angle tubular projection 6 and midway between the arm 4 and projection 6 the upright 1 is formed with an elongated stud 7, which latter terminates in two ears 8.

Extending through the side 2 of the car is a rock shaft 9 supported by journal plates 10 fast on the inner and outer faces of the car side and through which the rock shaft passes. The outer end of the rock shaft is formed with an angle extension 1]. from which there projects a stud 12 parallel with the rock shaft. This stud receives one end of a link 13 the other end of which is pivotally secured between the two ears 8 by means of a suitable bolt 14.

The inner end of the rock shaft 9 is formed with a stud 15 receiving one end of a lever handle 16, the remote end of which may be enlarged, as shown at 17, to be readily grasped by the hand and also, if desired, to be of suflicient weight to hold a crane in the operative position and to constitute a yielding buffer for absorbing the shock of impact of the moving crane or parts carried thereby with a stationary mail sack.

The function of the rock shaft 9 is to move the crane from an inoperative position against the side of the car to the operative position at right angles to the side of the car, the movement of the crane being through an arc of ninety degrees. While not so shown, it will be understood that suitable locking devices will be provided for holding the crane against the side of the car in its inoperative position.

Fast on the outer end of the arm 4 there is a short cross arm 18 to the top face of which is secured a spring plate 19 having its ends bent to coact with the corresponding portions of the arm 18 to constitute snap hooks or catches for receiving one of the end rings20 of a mail bag 21, the said mail bag and rings being indicated in Fig. 1 in dotted lines.

The tubular extension 6 receives thereduced portion 22 of a mail catching arm 23, best shown in detail in Fig. 4. This arm is formed with a crook or goose neck 24 from which it is provided with an extension 25 in line with the reduced portion 22, but located at the opposite end of the arm from said reduced portion. Pivoted to the arm 23 at about the junction of the goose neck with the extension 25 is a latch bar 26, the pivot point of the said latch bar being about midway of its length. At the extreme end of the extension 25 there is provided a tubular recess 27 entering the end of the extension a suitable distance. Seated in this recess 27 is a rod 28 with a reduced portion 29 surrounded by a spring 30 fast at one end to the rod 28 and at the other end secured to the extension 25. The tendency of this spring is to maintain the rod 28 in a certain predetermined position, and to return it to such position when the rod is rotated against the action of the spring.

The rod 28 is held. in the recess 27 by means of a suitable set screw 31 engaging an annular groove 32 in said rod. Beyond the end of the extension 25 the rod 28 is bent at right angles, as shown at 33. On one face of this extension 33 there is formed a notch 34 while its free end is formed with an incline 35. The end 33 of the rod 28 is in the path of the ends of the latch bar 26, as it rotates about its pivot, and the notch 34 is arranged to receive the ends, one or the other, of the latch bar 26, which ends are of reduced thickness, as shown at 36.

Now, the goose neck 24 is so located with reference to a mail bag that it will engage the same at the reduced intermediate portion or waist where the mail bag is belted in. When the mail bag comes against the latch bar at one side of its pivot, the normal position of the latch bar being across the opening of the goose neck with its remote end engaged in the notch 34, then the latch bar receives a sudden impulse, tending to rotate it about its pivot. This impulse is suflicient to disengage the latch bar end from the notch 34 and to cause its rotation about its pivot until that end of the latch bar previously engaged by the notch 34 is brought across the opening of the goose neck, while the end originally across the opening of the goose neck is brought into engagement with the angle face 35 and will turn the arm 33 about the axis of the rod 28 against the tendency of the spring 30 until the latch 26 has passed the bar or ex tension 33, when the latter will snap back into place. Now, any rebound of the mail bag will be resisted by the latch bar 26 extending across the opening of the goose neck, and the other end of the bar will be forced into the notch 34 to be there held. The groove 32 in the rod 28 may be of such length as to properly limit the movements of the extension 33 about its axis of rotation.

Extending at right angles from the outer end of the member 25 of the catch arm 23 is a stud 36 having a reduced end 27. extending to the member 25 and held thereto by a nut 38. On the top and bottom of the stud 36 are fixed spring plates 39 suitably shaped, as shown in Fig. 2, to constitute, together with the stud 36, snap catches for receiving the end ring of a mail sack. These plates 39 and the ends of the plate 19 are similarly shaped.

Now, since cars for carrying mail are often run in opposite directions, provision is made for reversing the direction of the catching arm 23 in the tubular extension 6 and also for holding this arm in its adjusted position. For this purpose, a spring bolt 40 is housed in the end of the extension 6, so that it will engage in properly located notches 41 in the end of the arm 23, where it abuts against the end of the extension 6.

That spring catch 39 which is uppermost on the stud 36 is adapted to receive the ring at the lower end of the mail sack, so that a mail sack carried by the crane is supported at the upper end by the appropriate end of the cross arm 18 with the coacting end of the spring plate 19, while the mail bag is held at its lower end by the appropriate spring plate 3.9.

At suitable points along the line of way are erected posts 42, or other supports, on the upper end of each of which is carried an upright tubular casing 43, the lower end of this casing receiving a tenon 44 on the upper end of the post 42, to which tenon the casing is secured by a through bolt 45, or by appropriate screws. The casing near its lower end is provided with an internal annular ledge 46 supporting the lower end of a pivot pin 47, which pin is provided with a threaded extension 48 passing through the ledge 46 and receiving a retaining nut 49 below the ledge. The upper end of the pivot pin 47 is expanded into an annular flange 5O seated in an annular groove 51 formed in the upper end of the casing 45 and above the casing the pivot pin is expanded into a head 52 coincident in diameter with the diameter of the casing. Surrounding the pivot pin 47 between the flange 50 and the ledge 46 there is a helical spring 53 fast at one end to the ledge 46 by a hook bolt 54, or otherwise, and at the other end. this spring is fast to the flange 50 by means of a hook screw 55. The tendency of this spring 53 is to main tain the pivot pin 47 and head 52 in a certain position, but the spring will yield, though resisting, a force tending to rotate the head 52 and pin 47.

Extending through the casing 43 opposite the flange 50 there is an opening or passage 56 in which is housed a pin 57 having a reduced neck 58 terminating in a head 59.

The neck 58 passes through one end of a lever 66 fulcrumed by a screw 61 to the outside of the casing 43. Surrounding the neck 58 is a spring 62 tending at all times to force the pin into the casing, but this tendency is resisted by the engagement of the pin with the exterior of the flange 50. However, at one point in the circumference of the flange 50 there is a notch 63 into which the pin 57 will snap when its notch is brought opposite the said pin.

Extending laterally through a diameter of the head 52 is the stem 22 of a catching arm 23 similar to the catching arm shown in Fig. 4. This arm 23 is held in a fixed position relative to the head. 52 by a pin. 64 extending through the body of the head 52 and through a suitable perforation in the extension 22 of the arm 23. The pin 63 is secured against accidental loss by a chain 65 fast at one end to the said pin and at the other end to the head 52.

Fast to the casing 43, or if this be made too short, then to the post 42, is a block 66 to which is hinged an arm 67 to the outer end of which is fast a cross arm and spring plate similar to the cross arm 18 and spring plate 19 described with reference to the crane arm 4.

\Vhen it is desired to secure a mail bag in place for delivery to a mail car, then the upper ring of the mail sack is fastened to the under plate 39 on the end. of the catching arm 23 at the roadside. The lower end of the mail sack is caught in the catch formed on the outer end of the arm 67. The tendency of the spring 53 is to hold the arm 23 with the mail sack thereon toward the track upon which travels the oncoming train.

Now, let it be assumed that a sack of mail is to be delivered from the train and another sack of mail is in position to be caught by the train. The relative position of the several parts is such that the mail sack carried at the outer end of the stationary arm 23 has its waist portion in line with the goose neck of the catching arm carried by the train, while the mail sack carried by the crane on the train is so displaced with reference to the mail sack at the roadside, that the waist of the sack on the train is in line vitltthe goose neck on the catching arm supporting the stationary sack. The train catching arm engages the stationary sack at substantially the same instant that the roadside catching arm engages the mail sack on the train, but since both the arms and the mail sacks are displaced with relation to each other, neither one interferes with the other. The sack holding means are so arranged as to yield in the direction of the travel of the train to release the mail sacks, and each mail sack is locked in the goose neck of its respective catching arm. The impact of the stationary mail sack will tend to throw the catching arm on the train toward the side of the car, and the arrangement may be such that when the catching arm is against the side of the car, it is opposite an opening or doorway therein. This movement of the car catching arm may be made yieldingly resistant to the impact of the mail sack by making the lever arm 16 of sufficient weight to act as a resistance element, or any other means may be employed for the purpose. The stationary catching arm is made yieldingly resistant to the imact of the traveling mail bag by the spring 53, so that the arm is caused to travel about a vertical aXis by the impact of the traveling mail sack, and the movement of the stationary catching arm about its vertical aXis continues until the arm projects inthe direction away from the track, when further movement is arrested by the engagement of the pin 57 in the notch 63. It is only when the pin 57 is removed from the notch 63 by a suitable manipulation of the lever 60 that the arm 23 resumes its normal position, projecting toward the railway track.

It will be understood that all the several parts that may need it are provided with means for the application of a suitable lubricant. It will be further understood that the relation of the several parts may be reversed, that is, the cranes may be located along the roadway at suitable points, while the casing 43 holding the arm 23 in the head 52 upon the pivot 47 may be carried upon the car. In fact, various changes may be made in the arrangement and mechanical structure of the several parts and still be embraced in the scope of the invention.

I OlELllIlF- 1. In a mail bag catching means for railways, an arm shaped to engage and retain a mail sack, a vertical pivotal support for said arm, a casing housing said vertical pivot, a spring surrounding the pivot within the casing and connected to the pivot and casing, and a spring catch carried by the casing and arranged to engage the pivotal support when in a position to direct the mail bag catching arm away from the railroad track.

2. In a mail bag catching means for railways, an arm shaped to engage and retain a mail sack, a vertical pivotal support for said ,arm, a casing housing said vertical pivot, a

spring surrounding the pivot within the casing and connected to the pivot and casing, a spring catch within the casing arranged to engage the pivotal support when the mail bag catching arm is moved to a position away from the railroad track, and means for disengaging the catch from the pivotal support.

3. In a mail bag catching means for railways, a catching arm bent at a point intermediate of its length into an open loop to receive the mail bag, a latch member carried by the arm for locking the mail bag in the loop, and an elastically yielding catch for engaging one end of another mail bag to be carried by said mail bag catching device for delivery to another arm.

4. In a mail bag catching means for rail ways, a catching arm bent to form an open loop intermediate of its length, said arm being rotatable about a longitudinal axis, a support for said arm, means for locking the arm in position with the loop projecting horizontally on either side of the axis of the arm, and two opposed spring catches fast on said arm beyond the loop and projecting in the direction of said loop.

5. In a mail bag catching means for railways, a catching arm bent to form an open loop intermediate of its length, said arm being rotatable about a longitudinal axis, a support for said arm, means for locking the arm in position with the loop projecting horizontally on either side of the axis of the arm, two opposed spring catches fast on said arm beyond the loop and projecting in the direction of said loop, and a latch bar pivoted at its center to said arm so that-its ends will suecessively extend across the open end of the loop, and a coacting member for said latch bar for looking it yieldingly in position across the loop.

6. In a mail bag catching means for railways, a pivoted crane movable about a vertical axis with a horizontally extending arm at one end, a horizontally extending socket at the other end, and means for moving said crane about its vertical axis, a mail bag catching arm formed with an open loop between its two ends and having one end seated in the socket in the crane, and coacting mail bag supports on the end of the catching arm and on the end of the horizontally projecting arm of the crane.

7. In a mail bag catching means for railways, a vertically pivoted member having means for supporting a mail bag, and means for receiving or catching the mail bag, and a manipulating means for moving the mail bag supporting and catching means into and out of operative position, said manipulating means yieldingly resisting the impact of a received mail bag.

8. In a mail bag catching means for railways, a pivoted member having means for supporting a mail bag and means for receiving or catching the mail bag, and a manipulating means for moving the mail bag supporting and catching means into and out of operative position, said manipulating meansyieldingly resisting bygravity the impact of the received mail bag.

9. In a mail bag catching means for railways, a pivoted crane having a horizontally extending arm at one end, a mail bag catching arm at the other end, said arm being capable of adjustment to catch a mail bag in either direction of travel, coacting means at the end of the arm on the crane, and a mail bag catching arm for temporarily holding a mail bag, and a means for moving the crane about its pivotal supports comprising a rock arm having an angle extension, and a link connection between the angle extension of the rock arm and an extended portion of the crane, and a manipulating lever or handle connected to the rock arm.

'In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

OLLIE BEATTY. Witnesses:

C. W. LUoAs, FRANK RooERs. 

